


Reminder

by AshsHorrorShow



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Angst, Canon Bisexual Character, Canon Gay Character, Canon Gay Relationship, Closure, Drabble, Emotions, Longing, M/M, Memories, Past Relationship(s), Reminiscing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-19
Updated: 2018-05-19
Packaged: 2019-05-08 21:23:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14702598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshsHorrorShow/pseuds/AshsHorrorShow
Summary: Fireheart reminded him so much of Jake, in more ways than just one.





	Reminder

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place right after WindClan got their territory back from ShadowClan in the first series.

Tallstar couldn’t help but stare fondly at Fireheart, as he watched the ginger tom gently set Gorsekit down and begin to discuss something with Morningflower, as she nosed her kit back to her belly. He turned away to pad into his den, sighing when he saw the mess that the ShadowClan cats had left it in. They had left no part of the camp unravaged. As he began tidying up the place, he thought back to Fireheart and couldn’t help but longingly think, ‘If only you were here to see your son, Jake. You’d be proud of him.’ 

The first few moons after Jake had decided that they must part ways, his heart had hurt for a good season or two. During that time, he had refused to let his grief cripple him, like Palebird had allowed her’s to do to her after Finchkit died. Jake wouldn’t want him to do that over him. However, for a while, every single night for those few moons, he had found himself wondering why Jake couldn’t have joined WindClan. He would’ve fit in perfectly fine to Clan life. He had the sense of adventure, the attitude, the drive. He would’ve made a great Clanmate. What did kittypet life boast over a life spent hunting, patrolling, and fighting together?

Did Tallstar really mean so little to him?

Tallstar knew such thoughts were immature. They were selfish and he knew could easily flip his logic back on him, asking why he wasn’t willing to become a kittypet to be together with Jake. However, even with the knowledge that his thoughts were petty and self-pitying, they infected him anyway. He always found himself hoping that Jake would enter the camp one day, saying that he’d changed his mind and that he intended to join, but he didn’t and Tallstar knew he never would. As much as he hated to admit it, their destinies lied in different places. And once he had accepted that, he had more or less moved on. He still thought of Jake from time to time, mainly to reminisce fond times, but as time went on, Jake slowly but surely became not the forefront of his mind. 

Until Fireheart came along, that is.

Tallstar had no doubt in his mind that Fireheart was Jake’s son. He was almost the spitting image of his father. In fact, for a split second, after Bluestar had pointed him out in the Gathering, Tallstar had almost thought that he _was_ Jake. Thankfully, the youthful appearance and white patch on Fireheart’s chest showed that he wasn’t. 

And apparently it wasn’t just his father’s appearance that Fireheart shared. As shown on the journey back to WindClan camp, he shared Jake’s same kindness and compassion. He also seemed to share the tom’s adventurous spirit. After all, only the son of Jake would think it’d be a good idea to wander in the woods where warriors roamed. 

Tallstar couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy. Why couldn’t Fireheart have stumbled upon his Clan first? He would’ve been happy to have him. His clanmates would’ve no doubt been hostile at first, but once they saw how brave and kind Fireheart was, they would’ve eventually warmed up to him. Just having seen the look of gratefulness on Morningflower’s face when she had been talking to the ginger tom earlier, assured him of that fact. 

Then, maybe after a few moons, after he had earned Fireheart’s trust, maybe he could’ve opened up about his past with Jake. He’d never done that with any cat before. And then maybe once he had, he could’ve asked him all the questions that had began developing in his brain after having gone seasons without seeing Jake. Was Jake still alive? Where was he now? Had he been the one who brought up the Clans in the first place to Fireheart?

Yeah, and hedgehogs would fly. 

He shook his head. He was being ridiculous. He was letting his excitement get the best of him. His reaction right there was the exact reason StarClan had not allowed Fireheart to join his Clan. Because he wouldn’t see Fireheart as a Clanmate. He would just see him as Jake. Jake would be the only cat on his mind whenever he was around Fireheart. 

He picked up the scraps of stuff that he had now had organized into piles and began carrying them out to bury away, noting that the ThunderClan cats had now left and his Clanmates were organizing and cleaning stuff up themselves. The dead-eyed look he had seen glazing their eyes the past few days seemed to be replaced with a new vigor and energy. He smiled. 

WindClan would survive. It always had and it always would, even in the toughest of times.

As he looked away, he thought of Fireheart once again and realized that maybe StarClan _had_ sent Fireheart to him for a reason. Maybe he had been pushing Jake far too much in the past. Maybe in an attempt to avoid becoming like his mother, he had tried to push his grief and the memory of Jake away and ignore both, busying himself with leading his Clan. He had tried to act like the problem wasn’t there. Maybe he should one day take a few moments to reflect and come to terms with his feelings. Maybe Fireheart was meant to serve as a reminder of that. 

Well, whatever reason the ginger tom was sent here for, Tallstar decided he would keep an eye on Fireheart. 

He didn’t know why, but something within him told him that the ginger tom was destined for great things.

**Author's Note:**

> I always wondered how Tallstar felt about Fireheart if he automatically knew he was Jake's son. Decided to try my hand on it. Hope you enjoyed. As always, critique is wanted and if you see a mistake, feel free to point it out and I will fix it!


End file.
